The present invention relates to an automotive windshield wiper switch which is used to operate a windshield wiper for removing rain drops adhering to the windshield of a vehicle.
Conventionally, there have been provided automotive windshield wiper switches having a MIST function as automotive windshield wiper switches. In, for example, a lever type of automotive windshield wiper switch, this MIST function functions such that when a control lever is operated to a MIST position to be held operative in the position, the operation of a wiper is allowed to continue, whereas when the holding of the control lever in the position is released, the control lever is returned to its original operation mode position and the operation of the wiper is stopped. Using this function, the user can put the wiper in operation only when the operation thereof is needed (refer to, for example, Patent Document No. 1).
Patent Document No. 1: JP-A-2003-276573
FIG. 6 is a drawing which shows the configuration of an automotive windshield wiper switch including the aforesaid type of MIST function. In the automotive windshield wiper switch shown in FIG. 6, a control lever 101 rotates about a rotating axis 102 as a rotating center with an OFF position acting as a base position, and when operated in a counterclockwise direction, the control lever 101 can be operated sequentially to an INT position, a LO position and a HI position in a stepped fashion, whereas when operated in a clockwise direction, the control lever 101 can be operated to a MIST position. In this case, the operation of a windshield wiper is stopped in the OFF position. The wiper is intermittently operated with a predetermined delay between wiper sweeps in the INT position, is operated continuously at low speed in the LO position, and is operated continuously at high speed in the HI position. In addition, as has been described above, in the MIST position, the wiper is operated only when the control lever 101 is operated to be held in this position.
On the other hand, in recent years, with a view to automating the operation and control of the windshield wiper, there have been provided automotive windshield wiper switch having a function to automatically switch on the wiper when a certain amount of rain is detected by providing a rain sensor which detects an amount of rain, for example, with a predetermined sensitivity (an AUTO function). According to the automotive windshield wiper switch having the AUTO function, by operating the control lever into an AUTO position (a position where the operation of the wiper is controlled to the AUTO function) even in such a state that there is no rainfall, the user can have the wiper automatically switched on to start its operation when it starts raining (a certain amount of rain is detected), whereas when it stops raining (no amount of rain comes to be detected), the user can have the wiper automatically switched off to stop its operation without the user switching it on and off every time it starts and stops raining.
FIG. 7 is a drawing which shows the configuration of an automotive windshield wiper switch including this type of AUTO function. Also, in the automotive windshield wiper switch shown in FIG. 7, a control lever 201 can rotate about a rotating axis 202 as a rotating center so as to be operated sequentially into respective operation mode positions in a stepped fashion. In the automotive windshield wiper switch having the AUTO function, the AUTO position is set to be positioned in the INT position in the automotive windshield wiper switch shown in FIG. 6. Here, the reason the AUTO position is set in the INT position shown in FIG. 6 is that the contact of the INT position can continue to be used as it is, in other words, no alteration is necessary for the other positions, and hence, no complexity has to be introduced, allowing the design to remain simple.
In an automotive windshield wiper switch in which the AUTO position is set in the INT position like the one described above, however, the following drawback will be caused. Namely, when the user wants to operate the wiper intentionally although not raining (for example, when the user attempts to remove dirt such as insects and dust which adheres to the windshield to thereby deteriorate the visibility of the user through the windshield), since the attempt can be attained by operating the wiper momentarily, it is considered that the user operates the control lever 201 into the MIST position where the wiper can be operated only while the control lever 201 is operated to be held operative in the position. As this occurs, in the event that the control lever 201 has been operated to be in the OFF position in advance, since the MIST position is set to be positioned next to the OFF position, the control lever 201 can be operated from the OFF position to the MIST position through one step, causing no problem with operability of the control lever 201.
However, in the event that the aforesaid attempt is tried to be attained with the control lever 201 having been operated to be in the AUTO position in advance, since the MIST position is set to be positioned next to the OFF position, that is, the OFF position is set to be positioned between the AUTO position and the MIST position, the user cannot operate the control lever 201 from the AUTO position to the MIST position through one step but has to operate the control lever 201 from the AUTO position to the MIST position via the OFF position through two steps, thus the user being forced to perform a troublesome operation.
Here, in case it is the user's practice to operate the control lever 201 to be in the OFF position, there occurs the aforesaid drawback in no case, however, with such a practice, the user cannot make effective use of the advantage of the AUTO function which can automatically control the operation of the wiper in accordance with the amount of rain.